A Catch Above the Rest at Turner Fisheries Boston

By: Jessica Cickay

“Where can we get some really good seafood?” If you’re a Bostonian, you know that when you hear this question, the pressure is on – the lights seem to get low, the sweat somehow starts to drip and all eyes in the room piercingly turn toward you. Seafood is a staple in New England, so this should be an easy answer, right? Not so fast. This query is loaded – locked and loaded really, so much so that it makes you realize that you’ve “been there done that” around the local seafood scene, but more often than not, you’ve been disappointed. From buckets full of rubbery clams to an overdone piece of palm-sized fish for $40, seafood restaurants in Boston can run the gambit from bad to worse, to overpriced to overhyped. But don’t fret you titans of tuna, you suckers for scallops – Turner Fisheries on the first floor of the Westin Hotel in Copley Square is the definitive answer to all of your seafood uncertainty. Offering fresh, sustainable and creative dishes that are both reasonably portioned and priced, Turner Fisheries is hook, line and sinker a catch above the rest.

Ann Taylor and LOFT For Spring 2012: "Easy Wear" With Flair!

By: Anne M. Raso

Last week, Ann Taylor and LOFT gave fabulous events for fashion journos and bloggers to check out their Spring 2012 clothing and accessories and we were the first people in the door to "check out the goods "both nights. These folks know how to throw an elegant preview!

Make the Bread, Buy the Butter Book Review

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After losing her job as a book editor for Entertainment Weekly, Jennifer Reese set out on an economically ambitious, often outrageous, culinary journey. Is “doing it yourself” always cheaper? Jennifer had her doubts. After curing prosciutto, trying to get those crannies in an English muffin, and buying goats to be a better cheesemaker, Jennifer’s kitchen-related experiments yielded some surprising results, which are chronicled in Make the Bread, Buy the Butter (Free Press; October 18; $24), her debut book out this month.

Make the Bread, Buy the Butter tells the often hilarious stories surrounding these kitchen-related experiments and offers a full picture of what is involved in a truly homemade life. Reese asks a handful of practical questions about each item to decide whether to make or buy: What’s the ultimate cost? How much of a hassle is it to make? And what about sustainability and animal welfare – what value should we place on knowing that our eggs came from happy chickens. Is it somehow ennobling to slaughter your own Thanksgiving Day turkey?

Jennifer Reese has been a professional journalist all of her adult life, working mostly for national magazines, and has been an avid, adventurous home cook for even longer, which she blogs about at the Tipsy Baker (tipsybaker.com) as well as for online publications like Slate. Reese also teaches cooking classes in Marin County, California, where she lives with her family. Like her on Facebook at www.fb.me/thetipsybaker and follow her on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jenniferreese.

Beauty Brunch For The Cure: Getting All Dolled Up And Much, Much More!

By: Anne M. Raso

The recent World Yacht's Beauty Brunch For The Cure was a win-win for all--great food, great swag, and most importantly, it raised thousands of dollars for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Held this past Sunday because of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this fabulous event included eyebrow threading from Hibba NYC, Vincent Longo makeovers, massages and polish changes from Bliss Spa, body art, feather hair extensions and mini-facials and a braid boutique from the John Barrett Salon. The raffle prizes including a month-long membership to the Chelsea Piers Sports Club, Minx nail applications (that featured the classic pink breast cancer awareness emblem), Eva Schrivo's Beauty Book and a haircut at her salon.

Bubble Bubble Toil and the Naked Cowboy at Legal Harborside

By: Jessica Cickay

We all learned in fourth grade science class that heat rises, and as I ascended up the swirling staircase at Legal Harborside, it was obvious that this – the freshest location of the Legal Seafood empire on Boston’s waterfront – was definitely an establishment that knew how to bring the heat. To host the "Bivalves and Bubbles” event, which featured a grand array of oysters, champagne and atmosphere, Legal Harborside had patrons bypass its lovely yet approachable ground-floor restaurant and its upscale yet not up-its-own-you-know-what fine dining digs on the second, to head straight to the roof deck for some stylish sips, slurps and city sightseeing.

Eolo: A Chelsea Sicilian Eatery That Will Make You Say “Oh”!

By: Anne M. Raso

Financefoodie.com loves to check out Italian eateries, but we have yet to check out one that is purely Sicilian. It’s perhaps the most classic of Italian cuisines, at least in the minds of American foodies, with Tuscan food being a close runner-up. That means they had to prove themselves to us with classic red sauce that won’t quit and lovely rustic dishes of all sorts—plus cannoli that could make you cry. Eolo is small and casual, with floor-to-ceiling front glass doors that open up so diners can eat al fresco. We went on a perfect early fall night and it never got chilly, even at 8:30 PM—so we were quite fortunate. Service is courteous and the food comes out quickly. Besides specialty cocktails, there is a special Sicilian wine list available ($12-13 per glass) and wonderful Italian soda like Orangiata and Aranciata available ($4 per bottle) -- if Eolo decided to do a promotional sticker printing campaign, that would work great to spread the word about their food and service!

Nsalata Grigliata

Win a $20 gift card to Seamless!

"So delicious (It's hot, hot)..."

Back when I was working on Wall Street, my co-workers and I became intimately familiar with the online food delivery service called Seamless (or Seamless Web as it was called then). In fact, I used this service so frequently (as we rarely left the office before dinnertime), I actually created a list of my favorite area restaurants and notes on dishes to order -- because when your mind is crunching numbers all day, you sometimes need a reminder that the chicken dish from Chinese Restaurant A is tastier than the same dish at Chinese Restaurant B thru Z!

She works hard for the money...

Kicking it Old Skool Boston at The Brahmin

By: Jessica Cickay

It’s chic, but not sickeningly stylish. It’s trendy, but not hopelessly hip. It’s elegant, but by no means is it garishly graceful. Basically, The Brahmin Restaurant and Lounge defies the stereotypes and stands out on Stanhope Street, bringing forth the perfect balance of elegance and ease to the Back Bay.